We know that, for many industries, customer communications management (CCM) software is one way to deliver the customer experience (CX) that your patrons have come to expect. Most importantly, good CCM platforms can contribute positively to your bottom line by saving both time and money.
But how do you know the right customer communications solution in which to invest? We take you through the top four problems with CCM software so you can decide which one provides the best possible return on your investment (ROI).
Spend your CCM budget wisely.
- Poor Document Automation
At its very core, CCM software is an automated document factory. The very definition of a poor document management system is anything that fails to meet that level of automation for your company. Smaller businesses may be functional with the basics while an enterprise demands the best. So what are these varying degrees of customer communications automation?
At the most basic level, a CCM platform gives business users the ability to create and manage document templates without needing technical assistance. It should be user-friendly and empower business users to make quick edits. Beyond this minimal threshold, the document management portion will have review-and-approval workflows that give managers the power to flag mistakes or authorize publishing before customers see a final product. Document management features such as a searchable history and audit trail to track changes means implementing risk management and avoiding compliance issues.
The most advanced platforms will integrate back-office applications and leverage business logic to provide deep personalization. This level of document automation will maximize your investment by allowing you to create customer communications in a “lights out” way.
- Bad Digital Experience (DX)
The absence of the right CCM platform can have a negative impact on the overall digital experience (DX). True, most CCM software handles “documents” meant to be printed and mailed or faxed. However, modern CCM software can also “feed” digital channels, including: web, email, SMS and mobile apps; as well as printing/faxing for a “digital first” customer communications strategy.
Modern, cloud-based CCM solutions are also designed to be part of a larger digital experience software “stack”. Rather than sitting in a department silo, these solutions are designed to share data and content with the rest of the DX stack. I just submitted an article to CMSWiRE on this very topic, and will write a blog post, too.
- Insufficient Omni-Channel Orchestration
CCM software allows you to coordinate your customer communications and engagement channels. From online exchanges to website content to phone interactions: once you have synchronized and coordinated all these channels, channels, you can then provide a smoother CX. A a poor-quality CCM platform simply reinforces the silos between these disparate technologies and produces obstacles that reduce customer satisfaction at multiple touchpoints.
The best CCM platforms provide for omni-channel orchestration. For example, the “history” functionality is extensible beyond your applications. Therefore, customers can integrate multiple customer communication solutions in order to create one single view of customer communications. That way, communications are coordinated internally, not just for the recipients!
- Wrong CCM Platform Choice
The biggest problem is choosing the wrong customer communication management system for your company. A well-researched and well-chosen CCM platform gives your company a competitive edge. More than likely, it will also improve your place in the market, not to mention how it will show a positive ROI. A poorly chosen platform will cause inefficiencies, frustrate your staff, degrade your customer experience, and eventually make you lag behind your competition.
As important as it is to choose the right customer communications software today, it’s even more important to choose the one that properly addresses the future needs of your company. A CCM platform that meets your document automation needs, provides a scalable DX, and gives you the controls for synchronized interactions across channels is going to be a good fit. If CX is at the top of your to-do list, check out Topdown’s options. There’s a reason we’re continuously mentioned positively by analysts in their research: Topdown can help your company identify the proper customer communications solution for your needs and avoid the pitfalls mentioned here.
To read more about getting the best return from your CCM investment, request a free demo of Topdown software today.
Image by Michael Longmire on Unsplash (no longer available on the site)
